Law movers: 2/14/11

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DLA Piper’s Baltimore office has added seven associates: Courtenay Fisher joined the corporate practice; Maryellen Gleeson joined the corporate and securities practice; Kristy Grace joined the finance practice; Ashley Anderson joined the litigation practice; Diana Krevor joined the government affairs practice; Thomas Prevas joined the governmental affairs and environmental practices; and Jamaal Stafford joined the litigation practice.

Colin Bell and Andrew L. Cole have become principals with Franklin & Propokik, in the firm’s Baltimore office. Bell concentrates his practice in the areas of cargo and logistics, construction, insurance coverage, liability defense, product liability, and transportation. He previously was an associate with Funk & Bolton in its Baltimore office. Cole heads the firm’s bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice. Cole represents clients in commercial transactions, commercial litigation, and bankruptcy proceedings. He is a member of the board of directors for the Hospice Cup, America’s largest charity sailing regatta, and is the board’s delegate to the National Hospice Regatta Alliance. Cole is a member of the board of directors, and counsel to, the Interscholastic Sailing Association of North America.

Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, which has offices in Greenbelt and Rockville, recently appointed three members as partners: David Coaxum practices in the areas of family law, corporate transactional work, and civil litigation, and land use and liquor license matters. He has served as an ethics panel member for the Maryland State Attorney Grievance Commission in Prince George’s County, and is treasurer for the Prince George’s County Committee to Elect Sitting Judges. Brian Markovitz practices in the areas of civil litigation, employment law, civil rights, and false claims. He is a member of the American Association for Justice’s Employment Rights and Qui Tam Litigation Sections and the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section. Veronica Nannis practices commercial litigation, civil rights and qui tam, and working on litigating health care fraud claims under the False Claim Act. She is secretary for the Marlborough Inn of Court.

Sean V. Werner has become a partner with Bacon, Thornton & Palmer, of Greenbelt. He joined the firm in 2003. Werner practices in the areas of personal injury, premises liability, retailer/employee and products liability, environmental exposure, insurance coverage, worker’s compensation and employment law.

Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, of Baltimore, recently appointed three members as partners: Ryan J. Potter practices in real estate, land use/zoning and governmental relations. He received his B.A. from what is now Loyola University Maryland and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. He is on the board of governors of the Citizens Planning and Housing Association. David G. Sommer’s practice focuses on creditor’s rights and bankruptcy litigation. He holds bachelor’s degrees from Salisbury State University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. Brian T. Tucker focuses his practice on complex commercial disputes and matters involving education and nonprofit organizations. He earned an M.L.A. from Johns Hopkins University, where he was a senior research program coordinator in the School of Medicine’s Lupus Center. Tucker received his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Richard Levine, partner in DLA Piper‘s Baltimore office, has been named to the board of directors of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. At DLA Piper, Levine focuses his practice on real estate, tax and partnership matters, with specific emphasis on sophisticated tax planning. He also serves on the board of the Rollins-Luetkemeyer Foundation and is a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel and national co-chairman of the American Law Institute-American Bar Association program “Creative Tax Planning for Real Estate Transactions.”

The Baltimore office of DLA Piper has been recognized by Baltimore Magazine as one of its “2011 Best Places to Work.” This is the third time in the past five surveys that the firm has been selected for the annual feature. DLA Piper is the only law firm listed as a “Hall of Fame Employer.”

Hodes, Pessin & Katz has been recognized by Baltimore Magazine as one of its “2011 Best Places to Work.” The law firm’s main office is in Towson. HPK has additional offices in Columbia, Bel Air and Cambridge.

Natalie C. Magdeburger of Hodes, Pessin & Katz has been named one of the Top 25 Women on the 2011 Maryland Super Lawyers list. She is recognized for her primary area of practice: medical malpractice defense. Magdeburger is a University of Maryland School of Law graduate,

Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger & Hollander, of Baltimore, had 14 of its attorneys selected for the 2011 Maryland Super Lawyers list: bankruptcy & creditor/debtor rights: Lawrence D. Coppel; business litigation: Lawrence S. Greenwald and Jerrold A. Thrope; business/corporate: Herbert Goldman and Abba David Poliakoff; employee benefits/ERISA: Matthew P. Mellin; estate planning & probate: Lowell G. Herman; family law: Sheila K. Sachs; health care: Barry F. Rosen; mergers & acquisitions: William M. Davidow Jr.; personal injury plaintiff-general: Eric N. Schloss; real estate: Timothy D.A. Chriss, David H. Fishman and Edward J. Levin.

Wright, Constable & Skeen, of Baltimore and Towson, had 11 of its partners selected for the 2011 Maryland Super Lawyers list: James W. Constable and Paul F. Evelius, business/corporate; Monte Fried, employment & labor; Michael I. Gordon and Mary Alice Smolarek, estate planning & probate; Robert W. Hesselbacher Jr., business litigation; Louis J. Kozlakowski Jr. and Gerard P. Sunderland, construction/surety; David W. Skeen and Stephen F. White, transportation/maritime; and Howard S. Stevens, construction litigation. Also, three associates were named Rising Stars: Mollie G. Caplis, family law; Meighan Burton, general litigation; and Jason R. Potter, construction/surety.

Tydings & Rosenberg, of Baltimore, had 15 members selected for the 2011 Maryland Super Lawyers list: Brian A. Balenson, Herbert J. Belgrad, Glenn E. Bushel, William W. Carrier III, Maria Ellena Chavez-Ruark, Mark D. Dopkin, Emerson L. Dorsey Jr., Alan M. Grochal, John B. Isbister, Daniel S. Katz, Lee B. Rauch, Richard D. Rosenthal, William C. Sammons, Barry Weiskopf, and Thomas M. Wilson. Recognized as “Rising Stars” were Gregory M. Garrett, Kristin P. Herber, Toyja E. Kelley, and Laurie M. Wasserman.

Frederick L. Kobb, a partner with Wright, Constable & Skeen, of Baltimore, will chair the Strategic Planning Committee of the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. This is his second year on the MVLS board. His practice concentration includes family law, separation and divorce, custody, child support, spousal abuse, adoption, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and adult guardianships. Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service is a nonprofit organization that connects low-income Marylanders in need of civil legal assistance with pro bono attorneys.

Richard C. Bittner was recently reappointed by Gov. Martin O’Malley to the Maryland Board of Physicians for a four-year term. Bittner, who maintains a general law trial practice in Glen Burnie, was first appointed to the board in 2007 after serving 17 years on the Anne Arundel County Liquor Board, the last 12 as chairman. He is a graduated of the University of Baltimore County and the University of Baltimore School of Law.

James A. List, founding partner of The Law Offices of James A. List, of Towson, has been named to the 2011 List of Five Star Wealth Managers in a survey conducted by Baltimore Magazine. The firm serves business owners and individuals with estate planning, asset protection, and trust needs. It also focuses a substantial part of its practice on working with families which have members with developmental disabilities.

Michael C. Hodes, David N. Pessin and Kevin F. Bress, members of Hodes, Pessin & Katz, have been named to the 2011 List of Five Star Wealth Managers in a survey conducted by Baltimore Magazine. Hodes, a wealth preservation and elder law attorney for 35 years, graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Pessin focuses on estate planning, gift tax planning, guardianship/conservatorship, Medicaid, and planning for those with disabilities, and advises professional athletes and broadcasters. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. Bress also is an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate and a master’s in taxation. His practice includes the drafting of wills, administering of estates and advising on wealth preservation and elder law planning.

Caroline D. Ciraolo, a partner at Rosenberg | Martin | Greenberg, of Baltimore, has been selected as a member of Network2000. The organization of community leaders advocates for and monitors women’s progress in becoming leaders. It encourages and supports the appointment of women to corporate boards, and offers a mentoring program for rising leaders of the metropolitan Baltimore business community.

Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, which has offices in Greenbelt and Rockville, had eight of its attorneys selected for the 2011 Maryland Super Lawyers list: Andrew Greenwald, Barbara Jorgenson, David Bulitt, Burt Kahn, Walter Laake, Timothy Maloney, Steve Pavsner and Cary Hansel. In addition, Regina Demeo was listed as a Rising Star.

Howarth elected chair of CLC

Danielle E. Howarth, of Gallagher Evelius & Jones, of Baltimore, has been elected chair of the Community Law Center’s board of directors. Her two-year term began Jan. 1. She had been vice chair of the nonprofit firm. Also elected to positions on the board were Vice Chair Jason Rose, of Venable; Secretary Ernest Paszkiewicz, of Gross Mendelsohn & Assoc.; and Treasurer Brian Southard, of Kramon and Graham. Howarth, who is certified by the U.S. Green Building Counsel as a LEED Green associate, practices in Gallagher’s real estate and business transactions group, representing clients in the acquisition, development, construction, financing, and disposition of real property. She also works on general corporate, partnership and business law issues, including the negotiation of construction-related contracts, and represents developers and syndicators in low-income housing tax credit and rehabilitation tax credit projects.

Danielle E. Howarth

Education: Bachelor’s degree, English, Catholic University; J.D., University of Maryland School of Law.

Resides in: Baltimore (Federal Hill, Baltimore)

Daily commute: 15 minutes, round trip.

Most recent vacation: Outer Banks, North Carolina.

Hobbies: I’m too busy with my children’s hobbies to have hobbies of my own!

Favorite book: “Beloved” by Toni Morrison is one of my favorites.

Most recently read: “The Lacuna” by Barbara Kingsolver.

Favorite food: Anything prepared by someone else. Cooking is not one of my skills.